This patent is related to the field of hairdresser's combs, particularly combs for braiding and dressing hairstyles. Patents which show extensions affixed to combs include:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,435 to Lupo shows a comb having a curved hooked tooth for separating and for curling hair. The drawing and the claim are to a tooth, integral with one end of the comb, and curving to the opposite end.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,823 to Dannat shows a different structure for combining a hair sectioner with a comb.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,020 to Lavoie shows a curved back handle with a hand grip to ease manipulation. Note that the grip must fit within the hand, while the comb is outside the hand (see FIG. 2).
U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,472 to Sonderegger is an earlier patent showing a curved hand grip extending out of the back of the comb.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,048 to Mostik shows a hand grip which is curved, but which does not fold back along the body of the comb.
DES 261,939 to Nevarez shows a comb with a handle extension extending in the direction of the other teeth, but offset at an angle to the plane of the comb.
DES 192,201 to Rolls shows a spine or ridge extending from the back of a comb.
DES 162,962 to Killinger shows an alternate offset handle.
No hair comb exists which permits easy, two handed manipulation of multiple strands of hair for braiding. A hairdresser, faced with the task of braiding hair, must comb out multiple sections of hair, secure each section and, form the braids by hand, maintaining each section separate. This now requires multiple actions, picking up and putting down combs, and separately handling clips or other devices for maintaining the braid sections separate. These repeated hand actions must be performed for each twist in the braid, and significantly add to the labor of braiding hair.